Lododowo 7
1 Vinye, lé nye nyawo me ɖe asi eye nàdzra nye sededewo ɖo ɖe mewò.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Lé nye sededewo me ɖe asi ekema ànɔ agbe eye dzɔ nye nufiamewo ŋuti abe wò gadaglamakui ene.
Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3 Bla wo ɖe wò asibidɛwo ŋu eye nàŋlɔ wo ɖe wò dzi ƒe nuŋlɔkpe dzi.
Bind them upon thy fingers. Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
4 Gblɔ na nunya be, “Nɔvinye nyɔnu nènye.” Eye nàyɔ ƒometɔ na gɔmesese,
Say to wisdom, Thou are my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman,
5 woana nyɔnu ahasitɔ la nanɔ adzɔge na wò, eye woaɖe wò le srɔ̃nyɔnu dzego la ƒe amenublenyawo ƒe asi me.
that they may keep thee from the interloping woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.
6 Mele nye xɔ ƒe fesrẽ nu, hekpɔ nu to fesrẽnuvɔ la me.
For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice,
7 Mekpɔ ame aɖe le bebewuwo dome, mekpɔ ɖekakpui si tsi bome la le sɔhɛwo dome.
and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding
8 Ele zɔzɔm le kpɔdome, ɖo ta dzogoe si me nyɔnu la le la me; ezɔ ɖo ta afi si nyɔnu la ƒe aƒe le,
passing through the street near her corner. And he went the way to her house,
9 le fiẽ me, esime anyigba nɔ tsyɔtsyɔm, eye zã do blukɔ.
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Tete nyɔnu aɖe do go va kpee, edo awu abe gbolo ene eye ayedzedze le mo nɛ.
And, behold, there met him a woman attired like a harlot, and wily of heart.
11 Eƒe gbe le dzi dem, metsɔ ɖeke le eme na ame aɖeke o eye eƒe afɔwo gbe tɔtɔ ɖe aƒe me,
She is loud and headstrong. Her feet abide not in her house.
12 ele kpɔdome fifia, kasia egado ɖe ablɔme xoxo eye wòdea xa ɖe dzogoe ɖe sia ɖe dzi.
Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lies in wait at every corner.
13 Elé ɖekakpui la hegbugbɔ nu nɛ ŋɔnɔe eye wòɖo mo kplalaa gblɔ nɛ be,
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him,
14 “Ŋutifafavɔsa le aƒenye me, egbe mexe nye adzɔgbeɖefewo o,
Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. I have paid my vows this day.
15 eya ta medo be mava do go wò, medi wò eye meke ɖe ŋuwò!
Therefore I came forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 Meɖo aklala biɖibiɖi ƒe abadzivɔ si wode amadede vovovowoe, esi wowɔ le Egipte la ɖe nye aba dzi.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 Mewu lifi, anowɔtre kple ami ʋeʋĩ vovovowo ɖe nye aba dzi,
I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 eya ta va, míano lɔlɔ̃ wòasu mí va se ɖe ŋdi, na míatsɔ lɔlɔ̃ ado vivi ɖe mía ɖokuiwo ŋu!
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning. Let us solace ourselves with love.
19 Nye aƒetɔ mele aƒe o, ezɔ mɔ didi aɖe.
For the man is not at home. He has gone a long journey.
20 Etsɔ eƒe gakotoku si ga yɔ fũu la dzoe eye ne dzinu sɔ tegblẽ hafi wòagbɔ.”
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.
21 Etsɔ amenublenya siawo blee eye wòtsɔ eƒe aɖe ŋanɛ la kplɔe trae.
With her much fair speech she causes him to yield. With the flattering of her lips she forces him along.
22 Etso zia enumake hekplɔe ɖo abe nyitsu wokplɔ yina wuwu ge alo abe zi si ɖo afɔ mɔ me ene.
He goes after her straightaway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Va se ɖe esime aŋutrɔ naƒo ɖe eƒe aklã, abe xevie dzo ɖe kamɔ dzi eye menyae be yeƒe ku le afi ma o la ene
till an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hastens to the snare. And he does not know that it is for his life.
24 eya ta azɔ la, vinyewo, miɖo tom eye miƒu to anyi ɖe nu si megblɔ la ŋu.
Now therefore, ye sons, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Migana miaƒe dzi natrɔ ɖe eƒe mɔwo ŋu loo, alo miatra age ɖe eƒe toƒewo o.
Let not thy heart decline to her ways. Go not astray in her paths.
26 Elabena ame siwo tsi esi me la sɔ gbɔ, eye ame siwo wòwu la de ha.
For she has cast down many wounded. Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
